


Leave Nothing Unsaid

by SaraJaye



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Communication, Conflict Resolution, F/M, Hugs, Pre-Relationship, Unresolved Romantic Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-03
Updated: 2018-02-03
Packaged: 2019-03-13 04:22:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 745
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13562715
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaraJaye/pseuds/SaraJaye
Summary: The comet would arrive in two days, and she didn't want anything left hanging between them before he went to fight the Fire Lord.





	Leave Nothing Unsaid

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lunarium](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lunarium/gifts).



The comet was arriving in two days. Earlier that week, Katara had pushed Aang away from her in confusion and fear, leaving the two tiptoeing around one another. Aang, guilty and apologetic for trying to rush her decision and Katara, still afraid of what could happen when Aang faced the Fire Lord.

_He could get shot with lightning again, and I don't have any Spirit Oasis water left. His energy is still knotted up where Azula shot him, he can't access the Avatar State if he needs to...and even with the Avatar State, the Fire Lord could still..._

Katara shook her head, blinking away tears. All she could think about was how she could lose him, really and truly lose him this time. The world would fall to pieces without the Avatar... _her_ world would fall to pieces without Aang.

The comet would arrive in two days, and they were still barely talking to each other.

_If the worst does happen, he'll die thinking I was still mad at him. I can't let that happen._

She slid her feet into her sandals and ran out to the beach. Aang had mentioned going there to meditate earlier, and she was relieved to find him still there. She waited for him to stand up before she approached him.

"We should talk."

"Oh...hey, Katara. I was just about to come inside, I know sleep's important." He looked at her, but he was still fidgeting, rubbing the back of his neck.

"It's not that." She came closer to him, taking his hands, and he blinked.

"Katara, what-"

"I don't want us to be mad at each other when you go to fight him," she said. "Look, what happened that night-"

"I'm sorry. I know it was stupid of me, I thought I could kiss away your confusion," he sighed. "I let that stupid play get to me more than I should have, about something that's not even...well, it's important to _me,_ but..."

Katara wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly. He was shivering, and not just from the chill of the night air, either.

"Now's not the right time for us to be together," she said, "but that doesn't mean I don't want to. Aang, you've been the most important person to me besides my family from the moment we met. Penguin-sledding with you was the most fun I'd had since Dad went off to fight in the war." Aang relaxed, leaning his head against her shoulder.

"I thought so. I just wanted to have some fun with you, but after what you told me about your mother and your village I had a feeling you hadn't smiled a lot since then," he said.

"You taught me it was still okay to smile and have a good time, even with a war going on." She loosened her hold on him, moving her hand to caress his cheek. "What's more, you helped reaffirm my hope that things would be okay. I'd been waiting for the Avatar to come back and save us, but you've become so much more than a mythical hero to me."

"Katara..." He closed his hand over hers, and she smiled.

"You're my best friend...and someone I love dearly. Even if we can't be together like we want to be right now, that doesn't change my feelings." He blinked again, then smiled, almost tearfully at her.

"I can wait as long as you need to," he said. "I'll do my best to save the world, for you and for everyone else...I won't let them down a third time. I promise." His expression grew serious, Katara knew his hundred-year disappearance and the invasion's failure still weighed heavily on him.

"You know what they say, third time's the charm." His smile returned, and he gave her hand a squeeze.

"This time I'll win. Because I've got friends who believe in me...and most of all, because you've believed in me all along."

Their faces were only inches from one another, it would be so easy to kiss him right now, but they both knew it would have to wait. Instead, they only hugged, Katara's embrace lingering until the last traces of the sun disappeared.

The comet was arriving in two days. She was scared, and she knew he was scared, too. They all were. But she'd always believed hope was stronger than fear, and no one had reaffirmed that belief more than Aang.


End file.
